You may think of street racing as something that just happens in the movies. Maybe you watched The Fast and the Furious when it came out, and you know that movies like that can be very exciting. They can even glorify street racing and make it look like a fun activity.
The problem with this is that there are actually a lot of people who engage in street racing in real life. It’s much more common than outsiders often assume. For instance, if you look at those who have been cited for street racing, statistics show that this happens to approximately 6.41 drivers per 100,000 drivers on the road. The exact number is different from state to state, but that is the overall national average.
You also have to consider that this statistic just applies to those who have been charged with street racing. There are undoubtedly many other drivers who get away with it, who get the charges dropped or who simply never get caught at all. In some cases, these drivers could cause accidents or injuries. They’re not always going to be convicted on street racing charges, even if that’s what did lead to the accident.
The risks that you face
Of course, you know that street racing in real life would be irresponsible and dangerous. But that doesn’t mean that you can always avoid the risks.
Simply by virtue of sharing the road with other drivers who may engage in street racing, you could suffer injuries in a serious accident. A driver who is racing behind you may not have enough time to slow down or change lanes, or they may not even see your car because they’re so focused on the race, leading to a rear-end crash. At high speeds, sometimes in excess of 100 miles an hour, even getting clipped by another vehicle can be enough to send you out of control.
Defensive driving can help. The more attention you’re paying to the drivers around you, the easier it is to identify those who may drive recklessly or dangerously. But it’s not going to help in all cases, simply because these vehicles are moving so quickly that you may be involved in an accident before you even realize something is wrong.
What are your options?
If you have been injured by another driver who was speeding and acting negligently, then you may be able to seek financial compensation for your medical bills, lost wages and other costs from that accident.